Annealing-furnace



Patented May 2, I899. W. & J. C. SWINDELL.

ANNEALING FURNACE. (A aplication filgd N v. 10, 1898.)

'2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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'ANNEALING'FUBNAGE.

(Application filed. Nov. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM SWINDELL AND JOHN C. SWINDELL, OF PITTSBURG,

- PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNEALlNG-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 624,401, dated May 2,1899. A li ati filed November 10, 1898. Serial No. 696,022. (No model.)

To all whmn it mag/concern.-

Be it known that we, W LLIAM SWINDELL and JOHN C. SWINDELL, ofPittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a oertainnew and useful Improvement in Annealing-Furnaces, ofwhich improvement the following is a specification. a

Our invention relates more particularly to furnaces of the classdesigned to receive and impart heat to annealing-boxes containingsheets, plates, or other articles which are to be annealed; and itsobject is to provide a furnace of such class in which a uniform degreeof heat may be imparted to the annealingboxes and an economicalconsumption of gaseous fuel be attained.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectionthrough an annealing-furnace embodying our invention, taken at the lineto w of Fig. 3; Fig. 2, a lougitudinal section through the lower portionof the same at the line m a: of Fig. 4; and Figs. 3 and 4, horizontalsections through the same at the lines y y and z 2, respectively, ofFig. 1.

In the practice'of our invention We construct a furnace having anannealing-chamber 1, which is preferably square or rectangular inhorizontal section, above its floor 2 and a series of gas and air'fiuesbelow the floor. The annealing-chamber is inclosed by and between thefloor 2, an arched top or roof 3,.side walls 4, and end walls 5,openings 6, closed by doors 7, being formed in one of the end walls forthe insertion and removal of the annealing-boxes and their contents. Therequired degree of heat is imparted to the annealing-boxes in thechamber 1' by the combustion of a mixture of gas and heated air, whichis supplied to the chamber through a series of flues located below thefloor and supply-passages formed in the side walls and connectingtherewith, the essential features of which flues and passages are asfollows:

Longitudinal gas-supply flues 8 8 are formed in the masonry of the lowerportion of the furnace, each of said flues extending throughoutthelength of the furnace below the floor of the annealing-chamber andadjacent to one of the side walls. Pipes9 9 lead from a suitablegas-producer to the gas-supply flues S 8, the flue on each side of thefurnace communicating at one end with one of said pipes and the supplyof gas therefrom being controlled by a'suitable valve 10.. The gas-flues8 communicate with the annealing-chamber 1 by a plurality of verticalgas-supply passages 11,.

which are formed on the inner s ides of the side walls 4 and open intothe annealingchamber a short distance above the floor.

Two transverse air-admission flues 12 12, (see dotted lines, Fig. 3,)the outer open ends of which may be provided with proper valves ordoors, extend from the sides of the furnace toward its center below thegas-supply flues 8 and adjacent to the end of the furnace at which thepipes 9,leadin g from the producers, are located. Longitudinalair-supply and heating flues-13 communicate at one end with theair-admission fines 12, as shown in Fig. 1, and lead therefrom to ornearly to the opposite end of the furnace, where they communicatethrough ports 13 Figs. 1 and 4, with superposed longitudinal air-supplyand heating flues 14. The flues l4 communicate, through ducts 14, Figs.1, 2, and 4, with a plurality of vertical air-supply passages 15, whichare formed on the inner sides of the side walls 4, each being locatedadjacent to one of the gas-supply passages 11 and opening into theannealing-chamber on or nearly on a level therewith.

A central waste or discharge flue 16 extends longitudinally through thefurnace below the floor and communicates with the annealingchamber by aplurality of discharge-passages 17. The flue 16 is connected at one endby transverse passages or connecting-flues 18 with two lateral waste'ordischarge flues 19,

which extend through the furnace and, passing'ou't of the opposite endthereof, are led into a common stack 20. Each of the flues 19 isprovided with a damper 21, governing communication with the stack 20.

The-air-supply and waste flues are so located relatively one to theother that the heat of the products of combustion passing from theannealing-chamber to the stack 20 shall be imparted as fully as possibleto the currents of air passing to the annealing-chamber through theflues 13 and 14.

.fiue 13 is located on each side of the central To this end a waste-flue16 and on each side of each of the lateral waste-flues 19. The air-flues14 are each located immediately above one of the lateral Waste-flues 19and immediately under and in contact with the floor of the combusroundedon three sides by air-hues and that there are air-flues on two oppositesides of the central waste-flue 16, while the air-flue 14, through whichthe air passes just prior to its entrance to the combustion-chamber, isbetween the highly-heated floor of the latter and the waste-flue 19.

Access to the gas-flues 8 is afforded byopenings 22, controlled by doors23, and the air-flues may also be provided with suitable opemngs anddoors.

one-half of the furnace shown.

In the operation of the furnace gas from the producer passes from thepipes 9 into the flues 8 and thence into the annealing-chamher 1 by thepassages 11, which distribute it throughout the length of the chamber.Air

- enters at the open ends of the ad mission-flues 2 and thence passes individed currents through the fines 13, from which it passes through theflues 14 and is thence distributed throughout the length of the chamberby the passages 15, each of which is in close proximity to a gas-passage11. The gas and air meet and are mingled at the outlets of the passages15 and 11, and the mixture is ignited and burns thereat, the heatevolved being exerted with substantial uniformity throughout theannealing-chamber. The hot products of combustion pass from theannealing-chamber by the discharge-passages 17 into the waste-flue 16,and thence pass through the connecting-flues 18 and lateral flues 19 tothe stack 20. In their passage through the flues 16 and 19 their heat isimparted to the walls thereof and thence to the currents of air passingthrough the flues 13 and 14; to the annealing-chamber. The heat of thewaste gases is thus effectually utilized before their escape into thestack.

We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent I 1. Ina furnace, the combination of a com-' bustion-chamber, a gas-supply flueextending longitudinally below the floor thereof, a plurality ofgas-supply passages leading from the gas-supply flue into the combustion-charnber, an air-supply flue extending longitudinally below and incontact with the floor of the combustion-chamber so as to be heatedthereby,

a plurality of air-supply passages leading from the air-supply flue intothe combustionchamber, and a waste-flue leading out of and extendingbelow the floor of the combustionchamber and adjoining the air-supplyfiue.

2. In a furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, a gas-su pplyflue extending longitudinally below the floor thereof whereby it isheated, a plurality of gas-supply passages leading fromthe gas-supplyflue into the combustion-chamber, a waste-flue leading out of andextending below the .floor of the combustion-chamber, air-supply fluesextending longitudinally below and in contact with the floor of thecombustion-chamber whereby they are heated, and adjoining opposite sidesof the waste-hue whereby they are turther heated, and a plurality ofair-supply passages leading from the air-supply flues into thecombustion-chamber.

3. In a furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, a gas-supplyflue, a plu rality of gas-supply passages leading from the gas-supplyflue into the comb ustion-chamber, a waste-tlue leading out of andextending below the floor of the combustion-chamber, airsupply fluesextending longitudinally below the floor of the combustion-chamber, andadjoining opposite sides of the waste-flue, an airsupply flue in contactwith the floor of the combustion-chamberwherebyit is heated andcommunicating at one end with said air-supply flues and adjoining athird side of the waste-flue, and a plurality of air-supply passagesleading therefrom into the combustionchamber, each adjacent to theoutlet of one of the gas-supply passages.

at. In a furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, gas-supplyflues extending below the floor and adjacent to opposite sides thereof,a plurality of gas-supply passages leading from the gas-supply fluesinto the combustion-chamber, a central waste-flue leading out of andextending below the floor of the combustion chamber, lateral wasteflues, each leading independently from the central wasteflue, air-supply fi ues extending longitudinally below the floor of thecombustion-chamber and adjoining opposite sides of the central andlateral waste-flues, and a plurality of air-supply passages leading fromthe air-supply flues into the combustion-chamber, each adjacent to theoutlet of one of the gas-supply passages.

WVM. SWINDELL. JOHN C. SWVINDELL.

Witnesses:

J. SNowDEN BELL, O. A. WILLIAMS.

IIO

